Poll: Bennet has big lead on Romanoff in Dem race

Democratic incumbent Michael Bennet has a sizable lead over former Speaker of the House Andrew Romanoff, according to a Denver Post/9News poll conducted in conjunction with The Tribune.

The poll shows Bennet leading Romanoff 53 percent to 36 percent. In hypothetical general election matchups, Republicans Ken Buck and Jane Norton beat the Democratic candidates, though in matchups involving Bennet, the results are a virtual statistical tie.

“We’re definitely encouraged by the poll, but with polls sometimes you’re up and sometimes you’re down,” Bennet campaign spokesman Trevor Kincaid said. “We know there’s still a lot of work to do, and I don’t think we’re going to let up between now and August.”

Romanoff campaign manager Bill Romjue questioned the poll’s validity because it was an automated poll.

“We are running a very strong grassroots campaign,” he said. “We’ve got enormous numbers of active volunteers, and these people are influential people with their neighbors, with their friends.”

Windsor Democrat Matthew A. O’Neill, 44, said he thinks both candidates are good, but Romanoff will be more effective.

Recommended Stories For You

“Whoever we put up is going to be a good candidate, neither one of them is a bad candidate,” he said. “For me, just seeing what House Speaker Romanoff did in the state legislature the years he was there, his history of working with the opposite party, I think he can carry that to Washington.”

He said as the primary nears people will look more closely at the candidates and Romanoff will rise to the top.

Romanoff said he’s running a different kind of campaign that will allow him to make changes in Washington, noting he hasn’t taken campaign contributions from big banks, insurance companies and big drug companies.

“Those special interest groups have enough special interest groups on their payroll. What we need is a senator for the rest of us,” he said. “The reason I’m going to win the seat is because voters have taken a look at the way Washington works and don’t like and want someone who is committed to changing that town,” he said.

Kincaid said Bennet has successfully connected with voters.

“Michael is a different kind of leader,” Kincaid said. “He’s focused on solutions. He has not played the political games so many Americans are fed up with.”

Greeley Democrat Pat Gifford-Bruner, 53, said she supports Michael Bennet because he’s been effective since he joined the Senate.

“I feel like he’s done a very good job for this state,” she said. “He’s conducted a lot of town hall meetings and done a lot of voter outreach.”

She also said Bennet is right on the issues for her.

“He also has the capacity to be independent-minded when necessary,” she said.